As I watched the idolatrous adulation of the masses during the pope’s trip to the United States, I was impressed with the ease with which he absorbed and encouraged it. All that was missing was people dropping to their knees at the sight of him. To show the demonic effect this man has on the idolatrous masses, one family reportedly drove 13,000 miles just to see him in person. While watching this nonsense I was reminded of a similar incident concerning Apostles Paul and Barnabus as recorded in Acts 14:7-18. Here we find God’s ministers, having been run out of Iconium for preaching the Word of God, arriving in Lystra where they found a man who was crippled in his feet. Seeing that he had faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, they pronounced him healed, at which time he rose up and walked. When the people saw the miracle they tried to pay homage to the apostles. Let us take note of the two diametrically opposed reactions to two very similar situations.

First, God’s men had actually preached God’s Word, had been threatened with death for doing so, then had brought about a miracle–they had done something Biblical. By contrast, the pope has done nothing, ever. Secondly, instead of soaking up the adulation of the people as does paganism’s primary prophet, Paul and Barnabus “rent their clothes and ran in among the people, crying out and saying … ‘Why do you do these things? We also are men of like passions with you and preach to you that you should turn from these vanities to the living God ….'” The Scriptures show that it took all of their spiritual strength to keep the people from exalting them to reverential status. The contrast between good and evil could not be more stark. God’s men adamantly rejected the efforts of the people to exalt them. Satan’s man basked in the glow of the people’s idolatrous actions and words. God’s ministers had preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people and had barely escaped death for doing so. The devil’s minister complained about global warming and air conditioning while exalting Marxism, and had been applauded for doing so. Who had the proper reaction to mass adulation, Paul and Barnabus or the pope? Who humbled himself before God and refused to receive the people’s homage, Paul and Barnabus or the pope? Who cares? God cares.

All this brings to mind what He said through Isaiah 9:16: “For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.” As I wrote in the posting titled The Ingathering, the blasphemous spectacle we witnessed last week will eventually be replayed throughout the world as Satan draws the masses to himself in preparation for the arrival of his Antichrist. The reigning pope at that time will be his spokesman who focuses the world’s attention on The Beast/Antichrist. For this reason God warns those who truly seek Him to come out of professing Christendom, Islam, etc. and embrace Him. Few, He said, will hear His voice and obey His Words. Will you be one of the few? L.J.